The Washington critic., 1887-09-24


man ~ told him 1850.
Said he. "Lamuu, That In all wrong. Tue
service wse not worth that sum; giyo hiin
back a. least half OF itn
| protested that the fee ues fixed IN al.
vance; that Scott Was perfectly satisfied,
and had go expressed himself.
"1hat may be,r rotorted Mr Lincoln,
with look Of distress aud OF undlsguiecd
displeseute; "but am not satisfied. This
ia positively wrong. 90: call HIN back aud
return half the money At least, or will not
receive one cent Of II for my shnrs.n
did 20, and Scott was astnnished when
handed back half the fee This conversl-
tion had attracted the attention Of the law
yers sni the court, Judge David DaYle,
then on our Circuit bench, called Mr.. Ian
coin TO him. The Judge never could wins
per, but In this instance he probably did h!s
best. At all events, in attempting to whisper
to Mr.. Lincoln he trumpeted HIS rebuke In
about these words, and IN ra.piug tones that
could be heard all over the courtroom
"LincolD, have been watching you and
LsnoD. You are impoverishing this bar BY
your picsyune charges OF fees, and the law
yers have reason 10 complain OF you. You
Sfo now almost a. poor "a Lazarus, aud II
you don't make people pay you more for
your services you Will die as poor as Jobs
turkey"
Judge o. l.. Davis, the leading lawyer 10
tlut phIt VI tuc plNNtt UTDWUNlN blplhuuel
this maltdictiOn from the bench; but Ar
Lincoln was immovable. "Thst money!
eaid be, "cones out of the pocket OF poor
demented gill; aud / would rather st.rvu
than to srlndle her in this manner"
TRIsD AND CONVICTED.
That evening the lawyers go, together
and tried Mr.. Lincoln before moot trlbu.
nal called "Ths ogmathorlal Court" Il.
was found guilty and fined for bis awful
crime sgainst the pockets OF his brethren Of
the bar. The fine he paid with great good
bumor, end then kept the crowd OF lawyers
In upronrlous laughter until after midnight.
He persisted In his revolt, however, de-
claring that, with bis consent, his hrm
should never during its life, or after IT'S dis
solution, deserve the reputation enjoyed BY
those shining lights Of the profession,
"Catch 'em aud cheat 'em.n
Mn. LiSooLss SMALL gsrATB.
In many Of the courts on the circuit Mr..
Lincoln would be engaged on one aide or the
other OF every case on the docket, and yet,
owing TO his low charges and the large
amount Of professional work he dtd Tor
nothing, at the time he left Springfield for
Washington to take the oath of oillco as
President of the United States he was not
worth more than 5000, bis property con.
ard eighty acres OF land on the oppnsltr
tide OF the river from Omaha, Neb T1!a
land he had entered With his bounty Land
wsrrant obtained for services IN the Black
Hawk War
Nr. Lincoln was always simple in bls
habits and tastes. He was economical In
everJtblpg and hts wants were few. He
was 4 good liver, and his family, though
not extravaEnnt, were much given ts enter
tsirments and saw and enjoyed many ways
depending money not Observable by hiu
After all his economy ard long lie OF sue.
cessiul law practice, he was reduced to the
necessity OF borrowing money to detray ex-
penses for the fret months Of his residence
at the White House. This money he repaid
after receiving his salary as President for
the frst quarter.
THE sPoILs OF OFFICE.
After Mr.. Lincoln's election he was sorely
bcset by rival claimants for the spoils OF Of
fee in his own State, and distracted by jesl-
ousies among his own party adherents. The
State WAS divided so far rs the Republican
party was concerned, into three cliques or
factions. The Chicago faction was headed
by Normsu b. Judd and Ebeuezer Peck
the Bloomington faction by Judge David
Davis, Leonard SWEET and others, and that
of Springfield by j. X. Dubois, o. NJ.
Hatch, VIM. Butler and others; and how
ever anxious Hr. Lincoln might be to
| hon or bis State by g Cabinet appoint.
ment he was powerless to do so without In.
curing the hostility OF the factions from
| which be could not make 4 selection. Hir-
mony vas, however, IN large measure,
| preserved among the Republican politicians
| by sending Judd as Munster to Prussia, and
by anticipating place on the supreme
Bench for Judge DASis. 5aott wanted
| ntl .,,I a., 81
| Springfield controlled the liou's share Of
State patronage, and satisfaction was giyen
oil around as far Ms circumstances would
allow.
Between the time OF Mr.. Llncoln's cleo
tion aud the 1lth OF February, 1861, he
spent his time IN room In the State HOuse
which was assigned TO him as an ofiica
Young Mr, N!colay, very clever aud com-
| petept clerk, was loaned to hlm by the Sec
Rotary OF State to do his wrtlug. During
| this time he was overrun with visitors from
| all quarters OF the country, some to as-s.
| In forming bis Cabinet; some to direct hos
| patronage should be distributed; others to
beg for or demand personal advancement
So pslnstaking was he that every one OF
the many Thousand letters which poured 10
| upon him was read aud promptly answered.
The burden OF the new and oyerwhelmiog =
labor came near prostrating hlm with
serious illness.
| on TO wAsHTSGToN.
Some days before his departure for Wash
ipgton he wrote to me at Bloomington that
he desired to zee me ut once | went 10
Springfield, and Mr.. Lincoln said to me:
"Hill, on the 1lth go to Washington aud
l want you to go along with me. Our
friepds have already asked me to send you
as Consul to Paris. You know l would
cheerfully give you anything Tor which ouI
friends may ask or you may desire, but II
looks as II we may have war. In that case
want you with me. In fact, must haT,
you. 80 get yourself ready aud cone along
1t will be handy 10 have you around. II
there Is to be fight l want you to help me
do my share OF It., as you have done In times
past. You must go, and go to stay.
did go, and at some personal sacrifice
as then thought. / had been Reelected
States Attorney without opposition. Tn,
position was one Of proat, but | cheertully
resigned 1t and accompanied my steaaias
friend on 4 perileus mission. Whether II
WAS fortunate or not that stayed so long
know not; but It was certainly unfortu
nste-grlevously so-that he was not per,
mitted to stay longer.
A MEMORABLE NIGHT.
The frst night after our departure from
SprIngheld'ras spent In IudianapOlis. Gov,
ernor Yates, Hon. o. H. Browning, Jesse
X. Dubois, o. NJ. Hatch, Josiah Allen oil
Indiana ard others, after taking their leave
of Mr.. Lincoln to return 70 their respective
homes, took me into a room, locked tht
door, and proceeded, 10 th. most solomu
ana impressive manner, to Instruct me as d
my duties as the special guardian Of Nr
lincoln's person durisg the rest of hi.
journey to Washington. The lesson wa
concluded by Uncle jesse, as Nr Duboi,
was commonly called, VINO said: snow
LBmon, we have regarded you as the TON
Hyer Of Illinois, With Morriss6y attach
ment. We entru,t the sacred lie OF Mr.
Lincoln In your keeping; aud Il you lon'l
protect It, ntyrr return to Illinois, for WI
will murder You on .ighth
Win this amabe thrr't delivered in